King Arthur, painted in 1385
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According
to legend, King Arthur lived between the 5th and 6th centuries, and defended
Britain against invading Anglo-Saxons, from mainland Europe. He may have been
king of not just Britain, but Ireland, Iceland, Norway, and Gaul (France). No
one knows if he really lived or not, or if he was king. It's debated by
historians.
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Arthur
is mentioned in various medieval texts, including the poem Y Gododdin (6th
century), Historia Brittonum (9th century), and Annales Cambriae (10th
century).
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In
these tales, he wasn't called 'king', but was a Welsh hero, using magic and
fighting monsters, similar to the hero Beowulf. He travelled to the Welsh
'otherworld', a place of magic called Annwyn.
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Historia
Brittonum tells of
twelve battles in which Arthur fought. In the Battle of Mount Badon,
Arthur single-handedly killed 960 men. Annales Cambriae tells of the
Battle of Camlann where both Arthur and Mordred died.
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But,
Arthur isn't mentioned in any historical text from 400-800 AD, even ones that
mention the battles of Mount Badon and Camlann.
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In the
legend, King Arthur is famous for his sword Excalibur, given to him by a
mystical "Lady of the Lake".
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He's
also famous for his round table in his castle of Camelot, where his knights sat as equals, each allowed
to vote.
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King
Arthur didn't become popular as a legend until the 12th century, when Geoffrey
of Monmouth wrote his Historia Regum Britanniae.
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Another
12th century writer, Chrétien de Troyes, from France, added in Sir Lancelot,
and a quest for the holy grail (svätý grál).
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Stories
of King Arthur were popular until the renaissance, and then became popular
again in the 19th century. Today, the King Arthur legend has been adapted for
theatre, film, TV, and comics.
Important
Characters:
Uther Pendragon, by Howard Pyle
Uther
Pendragon: King
Arthur's father. Uther was a strong, heroic king, yet the way in which he
defeated his enemy Gurlois makes him seem evil, if you think about it. He
invaded the castle of Gurlois, killing him and his men. That same night, he
used some potion from Merlin to trick Gurlois's wife, Igraine, to fall in love
and sleep with Uther. That's how Arthur was born, Igraine was his mother. Uther
and Igraine then married, but I imagine it was a very awkward wedding and
marriage.
Merlin, by Howard Pyle
Merlin: a wizard and advisor to King
Arthur. This character was invented by Geoffrey of Monmouth. Merlin was the son
of an incubus (demon) who seduced (zviedol) a woman.
The Lady of the Lake, by Howard Pyle
Lady of
the Lake: Different
writers give her different names, such as Vivien, Elaine, and Nimue. She was
ruler of the fictional island of Avalon. Merlin fell in love with her and
taught her everything he knew about magic, knowing she would one day betray
him.
Eventually, she trapped Merlin in a tree.
She helped Arthur, giving Excalibur when his first sword broke.
The Beguiling of Merlin, by Edward Burne-Jones
Eventually, she trapped Merlin in a tree.
Merlin & Vivien, by Lancelot Speed
She helped Arthur, giving Excalibur when his first sword broke.
Guinevere, by John Collier
Guinevere: Arthur's wife. Her father, Leodegrance,
was a knight who served Uther, and so the young Arthur helped save him from
some enemy, and then married his daughter. Unfortunately, Guinevere fell in
love with Arthur's knight...
Guinevere & Sir Lancelot, by Herbert James Draper
Sir Lancelot: When Arthur learned she was
cheating on him, he ordered her burned alive. Lancelot rescued her, killing
many knights to do it, and then ran away to France.
Arthur took an army to find and kill Lancelot, while...
The Rescue of Guinevere, by William Hatherell
Guinevere & Sir Lancelot, by N.C. Wyeth
Arthur took an army to find and kill Lancelot, while...
Mordred: King Arthur's illegitimate son, and archenemy,
decided to capture Guinevere for himself. He wanted to marry her and take the
throne of Britain for himself. This is why Arthur had to come back and fight
Mordred at the Battle of Camlann, where they both died.
King Arthur was then buried on the island of Avalon.
Mordred's mother was Morgause, Arthur's half-sister.
Final Battle of King Arthur & Mordred, by N.C. Wyeth
King Arthur was then buried on the island of Avalon.
The Death of King Arthur, by John Garrick
Mordred's mother was Morgause, Arthur's half-sister.
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